Women’s Forum Australia Stephanie Bastiaan has slammed the Victorian Liberals for siding with Labor against the crossbench to pass a bill which gives the minister for local government the power to sack democratically elected councillors.
“It is so disappointing because we know the arbitration process that is being used to silence councillors,” Ms Bastiaan told Sky News host Rita Panahi.
“Particularly those who are perhaps conservative, who are women talking about sex-based issues or Liberals in Labor-dominated councils.
“The process is being weaponised to silence them.”